Printing unit interrupter for rotary printing presses

ABSTRACT

A printing unit for rotary printing presses comprises three wall units, relatively movable for variable spacing and carrying a printing cylinder, a counterimpression cylinder and an inking roller respectively mounted for rotation and parallel to each other, a spindle connecting the three wall units and extending parallel to a line perpendicular to the axes of the printing cylinder and the counterimpression cylinder, nuts on two of the wall units cooperating with threaded portions of the spindle, the nuts being driven individually for spacing adjustment between the wall units and being held stationary while the spindle is rotated for simultaneous variation of the spacing.

1111mm States Patent Speelit at all 51 Jan, 118, 11972 [541 PRHNTHNG111N111 HNTEMUIPTEM 100R 3,190,218 6/1965 Willard ..101/247 R'U'HARYIPRHNTHNG, PMESSES 3,366,049 1/1968 Nystrand 101/247 [72] Inventors:Wolfgang Specht, Gardessen; Ber-111d V Bertram, Braunschweig, both ofGermany Primary Exami"er J- Reed Fisher Attorney-Ernest G. Montague [73]Assignee: S. M. B. Sondermaschinen Gmbll-ll, V, l

Braunschweig, Germany 1 57 ABSTRACT [22} Filed: July 24, 1970 1 Aprinting unit for rotary printing presses comprises three wall PP 57,923units, relatively movable for variable spacing and carrying a printingcylinder, a counterimpression cylinder and an inking [30] ForeignApplication Priority Dam roller respectively mounted for rotation andparallel to each other, a spindle connecting the three wall units andextending July 25, 1969 Germany ..G 69 29 358.7 ll l to a li ndi lar tothe axes of the printing cylinder and the counterimpression cylinder,nuts on two of U.S. the wall units cooperating threaded portions of thepin- 1341f 13/26 die, the nuts being driven individually for spacingadjustment [58] Field of Search ..101/216, 218,247, 352, 137, betweenthe wall units and being held stationary while the 135 spindle isrotated for simultaneous variation of the spacing. References Cited 4Claims, 3 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,405,795 8/1946Luehrs.... ..101/247 PATENTED JAN: 8 I972 SHEET 1 OF 2 Invenfor PATENTEDJAN 8 I972 SHEET 2 OF 2 J'nvenlar: 1

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a printing unit forrotary printing presses having a printing cylinder, a counterimpressioncylinder and at least one inking roller which are mounted for rotationin separate lateral wall portions which are guided in a slidelike mannerwith their axes extending parallel, and are adjustable at differentdistances apart by means of drive mechanisms mounted in the walls.

If temporary interruptions in operation are necessary when working withthe above-mentioned printing units, or the presses have to be stopped,then it is not sufficient to stop the drives which set the individualcylinders or rolls in rotation, but care must be taken to ensure thatthe printing cylinder and the counterimpression cylinder are movedapart, and at least the inking roller transferring ink directly to theprinting cylinder be moved away from the printing cylinder. Suchwithdrawal of the rolls or cylinders running on one another duringoperation is necessary, for example, when working with the relativelyquick-drying fiexographic inks. If the withdrawal of the inking rollerfrom the impression cylinder is not effected, then it is no longerpossible to take the printing unit into service again because of inkwhich has dried in the meantime since the rolls in contact are firmlystuck together. In order to set the register for the proofing and formany other operations, on the other hand, it is necessary to be able todisplace the band or web of paper to be printed, relative to theprinting cylinder. This is only possible, however, if the printingcylinder and the counterimpression cylinder have parted.

In known printing units of the kind referred to above, the centralshutting down, that is to say driving apart the cylinders and rollsrunning one on the other during operations, is effected by means of acomplicated system of graduated threaded spindles which engagetelescopically one inside the other, which can be driven jointly and,through appropriate connections to the individual wall portions guidedin a slidelike manner, lead to the fact that, when one end of thisspindle system is driven, all the wall portions are so displaced thatsaid cylinders and rolls come apart. In this case, use is made of thefact that said wall portions must in any case be guided in a slidelikemanner in order to provide the possibility of being able to adapt theposition of the ink-transfer roll as well as the position of thecounterimpression cylinder to specific dimensions of the printingcylinder which may vary from one case to another.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the object of the present invention toconstruct a printing unit of the kind referred to so that thecomplicated system of telescopically interengaging threaded spindles andsleeves can be dispensed with in order to permit a central shutdown.

According to the invention there is provided a printing unit for rotaryprinting presses comprising a first wall unit, a second wall unitmovable relative to said first wall unit, a third wall unit movablerelative to said first and second wall units, a counterimpressioncylinder mounted for rotation in said first wall unit, a printingcylinder parallel to said counterimpression cylinder and mounted forrotation in said second wall unit, an inking roller parallel to saidprinting cylinder and mounted for rotation in said third wall unit, aspindle connecting all said wall units, and extending parallel to alignperpendicular to the axes of said printing cylinder and saidcounterimpression cylinder, first and second threaded portions on saidspindle having different threads therein, that is, one portion having aleft-hand thread and the other portion having a right-hand thread, arotatable nut mounted for rotation in each of two of said wall units andcooperating with said first and second threaded portions respectively,means for preventing axial movement of said nuts in their respective oneof said two wall units, means for rotating said nuts individually forindividual adjustment of said wall units, means for rotating saidspindle and means for holding said :nuts stationary for simultaneousvariation of the relative position of said wall units on rotation ofsaid spindle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described ingreater detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which;

FIG. ll shows the new printing unit illustrated in perspective;

FIG. 2 shows a sectional view through one wall side of the printing unitwith a sectional plane extending along the line II-Il in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view on a. larger scale through the wall sideas shown in FIG. 2 with a sectional plane extending along the lineIll-Ill.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Basically, a printing unit forrotating printing presses comprises a printing cylinder, acounterimpression cylinder and an inking roller each mounted in a wallunit, and a threaded nut, which extends in the setting direction,mounted for rotation but held against movement in the setting directionat least on the wall unit for the inking roll and for thecounterimpression cylinder and which is capable of being driven by meansof a worm drive, the two threaded nuts having opposite pitch andengaging in associated threaded portions of a common threaded spindlewhich is mounted for rotation but not for displacement in the axialdirection in the wall portion for the printing cylinder and is equippedat one end with a handle for rotation.

In the new printing unit, the fact is used that the printing unit isgenerally mounted as a whole for displacement in a slidelike manner on abracket of the printing press. The wall portion of the printing unit,which receives the counterimpression cylinder, is prevented from beingable to be displaced relative to the printing press, by bearing againstan abutment on the printing press. All displacements which the wallportion executes for the counterpressure cylinder but relative to theprinting unit itself lead to the fact that it is not the wall portionfor the counterimpression cylinder but the entire printing unit which isdisplaced relative to the printing press. Since the distance of thecounterimpression cylinder from the printing cylinder increases when thethreaded spindle is driven or turned, the printing cylinder is drivenaway from the web to be printed while the inking roll is removed fromthe printing cylinder by the other portion of the thread. With thisembodiment of the printing unit, the threaded spindle serving for theshutting down may appropriately bear against the wall portion whichreceives the printing cylinder.

In comparison with known printing units with numerous threaded sleevesinterengaging telescopically, this embodiment is distinguished bysuprisingly simple and robust construction. Despite this construction,it is possible to adjust all three wall portions finely, relative to oneanother, by means of the worm drive associated therewith and the nutsmounted thereon, to move them apart to a wide extent for the centralshutdown, and to restore them to the present operating position byreverse motion of the threaded spindle.

When working with more than three :rolls or cylinders to be moved apart,then the abovementioned construction of the printing unit merely has tobe modified in such a manner that an additional thread portion isprovided on the threaded spindle, and is equipped with a steeper orshallower pitch depending on the position of the roll in question. Thereis also the possibility of supporting the threaded spindle on a separateportion of the base of the printing unit or a suitable abutment so thatthe wall portion for the mounting of the printing cylinder can bedisplaced through a threaded portion on the threaded spindle and a nutmounted on or in this wall portion.

In a further development of the new printing unit, a geared connectionis provided between associated worm drives as well as the threadedspindles, with nuts and threaded spindles mounted at both sides.

It is usual to construct the wall portions of printing units in ahousinglike manner so that the worm drives, nuts or the like are mounteddirectly in the wall portions. As a result of the fact that worm drives,nuts, etc., are mounted at both sides of the printing unit, that is tosay on both wall sides, guiding of the individual rolls and cylinderswithout tilting is assured.

As distinct from this, however, there is always the possibility ofconstructing printing units, primarily for the printing of very narrowwebs, so that the nuts or worm drives are mounted not in the wallportions of housinglike constructions but, for example, in the middlebetween two associated wall portions, below the slide guide or atanother suitable point, in which case only a single nut with associatedthread on the spindle serves for the displacement of a roll in question.

It has already been pointed out above that the spindle with the twothread portions at one end comprises a handle for rotation. It should bementioned that, instead of this handle or in addition to this handle, agear clutch may be provided so as to couple the threaded spindle to adrive member of the printing press so that, when a large number ofprinting units are used, a central shutting down of all the printingunits simultaneously can be carried out be driving correspondingspindles in all printing units at the same time.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a printing unit 1 whichcomprises a wall portion 1, a wall portion 2 and a wall portion 3 ateach side, the wall portion 1 being rigidly connected to a baseplate 4of the printing unit, on which the wall portions 2 and 3 are guided in aslidelike manner. The printing unit 1 is connected in a suitable mannerto the mechanism of a printing press not illustrated in the FlG., by thewall portion 1 or the baseplate 4.

The wall portion 1 serves to mount a counterimpression cylinder 5, thewall portion 2 to mount plate cylinder 6, while an inking roll 7 isreceived in the wall portion 3. FIG. 1 clearly shows that, apart fromsaid cylinders or rolls, further cylinders or rolls essential for theoperation of a printing unit are mounted in the individual wallportions. These are not essential for the operation of the centralshutdown, however.

When the printing unit is stopped, it is necessary for the impressioncylinder 5 and the printing cylinder or plate cylinder 6 to be movedapart, and at the same time for the inking roll 7 to withdraw from theimpression or plate cylinder 6. During operation, said rolls orcylinders are in pressed rolling contact.

In addition, it must be possible to adjust the individual rolls orcylinders 7, 6, 5 in difi'erent positions in relation to one anotherbecause the dimensions of the plate cylinder 6 may be different from onecase to another. It is therefore necessary to ensure that the wallportions 3 and 2, which are guided in a slidelike manner, can beadjusted relative to the wall portion 1.

In order to carry out these adjustments and also to carry out thewithdrawal motion of the rolls or cylinders from one another, a threadedspindle 8, which is rotatable in the wall portion 2 for the mounting ofthe printing cylinder 6 but is held against movement in the axialdirection, is used. The threaded spindle 8 extends with its axis in thedirection in which the cylinders and rolls have to be adjusted inrelation to one another or displaced in order to effect the withdrawalmovement. In the region of the wall portion 1, the threaded spindle 8 isprovided with a threaded portion 9 and, in the region of the wallportion 3 for the inking roll, with a threaded portion 10 of oppositesense. Whereas the threaded spindle 8 is connected to the wall portion2, being held against movement in the axial direction of the spindle asalready mentioned, the wall portions 3 and 1 each comprise a threadednut 11 or 12 which is held against displacement in the axial directionof the spindle but is mounted for rotation and which is screwed on tothe associated threaded portion 9 or 10. At one end of the threadedspindle 3, there is a handle 13 which enables the threaded spindle 8 tobe turned. When the threaded nuts 11 and 12 are held against rotationand the threaded spindle 8 is turned by actuation of the handle 13, thenthe wall portions 3 and 1 each execute movements in relation to the wallportion 2, according to the direction of rotation of the threadedspindle 8, during which they either approach or move away from the wallportion 2. When the wall portions 1 and 3 move away from the wallportion 2, that corresponds to the movement which has to be executed forthe central shutting down of the printing unit. The approach correspondsto that movement which has to be carried out in order to bring theprinting unit, temporarily stopped, back into operation.

The threaded nuts 11 and 12 are held against rotation during theexecution of the central shutting down or restarting of the printingunit by the fact that they are connected to worm wheels 14 and 15respectively. These worm wheels mesh with worms 16 and 17, to the shafts18 and 19 of which there are secured handwheels 20. The worm drives canbe actuated by actuating the handwheels and the threaded nuts 11 and 12turned, while the threaded spindle 8 is held against rotation. Thislocation is effected by a corresponding locking of the handle 13. Theparticular wall portion 3 or 1 is displaced in the axial direction ofthe threaded spindle 8 in relation to the wall portion 2, by the driveof the nuts 12 and 11 respectively.

In all the movements of the wall portions 1, 2, 3 outlined above,relative to one another, as a result of the supporting of the threadedspindle 8 in the wall portion 2 it was always said that the wall portion1 or wall portion 3 was displaced relative to the wall portion 2. Inpractice, however, it is not the wall portion 2 which is the static polebut, as a result of the slidelike construction of the wall portionsalready described, namely the fixed connection of the wall portion 1 tothe baseplate 4 and the slidelike guiding of the wall portions 2 and 3on this baseplate, on actuation of the threaded spindle 8 or thehandwheel 20 which would cause a movement of the wall portion 1relatively to the wall portion 2, it is not the wall portion 1 whichmoves but instead the wall portion 2 and with it the wall portion 3because this, as FIG. 2 clearly shows, is guided in a slidelike manneron the wall portion 2. Any relative movement between the wall portion 2and wall portion 3 is additionally superimposed on this movement on thewall portion 2 with respect to the stationarily held wall portion 1.

FIG. 1 shows that the printing unit shown in the example has arelatively great width so that care must be taken to ensure that tiltingis avoided. For this reason, the shaft 8 is connected for example at theend at which there is the handle 13, to a correspondingly constructedshaft 8' on the other wall side, through a bevelled gear 21. Anymovement of the shaft 8 by the handle 13 leads to a correspondingmovement of the shaft 8' at the other wall side so that the wallportions at this other wall side, which are identical in construction tothose already described, are likewise entrained. The worm shafts 19 and18 are equipped with extensions 22, 23 so as to drive both wall portionsbelonging to a cylinder or a roll at the same time even during the fineinfeed. These extensions 22, 23 represent gear connections tocorresponding warms at the other wall side, which lead intocorresponding worm wheels on corresponding nuts in the associatedopposite wall portions 3, 2 or 1. This means that on actuation of one ofthe handwheels 20, not only is the nut 12 or 11, which is at thehandwheel side, turned, but also the corresponding nut at the other wallside is also driven through the extension 23 or 22.

It will be understood that the above description of the presentinvention is susceptible to various modifications, changes andadaptations.

What is claimed is:

l. A printing unit for rotary printing presses comprising a first wallunit, a second wall unit movable relative to said first wall unit, athird wall unit movable relative to said first and second wall units, acounterimpression cylinder mounted for rotation in said first wall unit,a printing cylinder parallel to said counterimpression cylinder andmounted for rotation in said second wall unit, an inking roller parallelto said impression cylinder and mounted for rotation in said third wallunit, a spindle connecting all said wall units and extending parallel toa line perpendicular to the axes of said impression cylinder and saidcounterimpression cylinder, first and second threaded portions on saidspindle, one of said threaded portions being of a left-hand thread andthe other of said threaded portions being of a right-hand thread, arotatable nut mounted for rotation in each of two of said wall units andcooperating with said first and second threaded portions respectively,means for preventing axial movement of said nuts in their respective oneof said two wall units, means for rotating said nuts individually forindividual adjustment of said wall units, means for rotating saidspindle and means for holding said nuts stationary for simultaneousvariation of the relative position of said wall units on rotation ofsaid spindle.

2. A printing unit for rotary printing presses comprising a first wallunit, a second wall movable relative to said first wall unit, a thirdwall unit movable relative to said first and second wall units, aprinting cylinder, a counterimpression cylinder and an inking rollereach mounted for rotation in a respective one of said wall units; aspindle connecting said first and third wall units passing through saidsecond wall unit and extending parallel to a line perpendicular to theaxes of said printing cylinder and said counterimpression cylinder,means for preventing axial movement of said spindle relative to saidsecond wall unit, a first nut mounted for rotation in said first wallunit, means for preventing axial movement of said first nut relative tosaid first wall unit, a second nut mounted for rotation in said thirdwall unit, means for preventing axial movement of said second nutrelative to said third wall unit, first and second threaded portions onsaid spindle, one of said threaded portions being of a left-hand threadand the other of said threaded portions being of a right-hand thread,said first and second threaded portions cooperating with said first andsecond nuts respectively, means for rotating said nuts individually forindividual adjustment of the spacing between said first and third wallunits and said wall unit, means for rotating said spindle and means forpreventing rotation of said first and second nuts for simultaneousvariation of the spacing of said first and third wall units and saidsecond wall unit on rotation of said spindle.

3. A printing unit as defined in claim 2, wherein said means forrotating said nuts and said means for preventing rotation of said nutscomprises a worm wheel mounted on each nut and a worm with which itcooperates, said worm serving, when driven, to drive the nuts, butlocking the nuts against rotation when it is not driven.

4. A printing unit as defined in claim 3, wherein each wall unitcomprises two wall members between which the cylinders or inking rollerare mounted, the spindle being provided running through the wall membersat one side of each unit and a second spindle is provided passingthrough the other wall members of said wall units and coupled to saidfirst spindle, said second spindle cooperating with further worm-drivennuts in said first and third wall units and means being provided fordriving connecting the worms associated with each wall unit together forsimultaneous drive thereof.

1. A printing unit for rotary printing presses comprising a first wallunit, a second wall unit movable relative to said first wall unit, athird wall unit movable relative to said first and second wall units, acounterimpression cylinder mounted for rotation in said first wall unit,a printing cylinder parallel to said counterimpression cylinder andmounted for rotation in said second wall unit, an inking roller parallelto said impression cylinder and mounted for rotation in said third wallunit, a spindle connecting all said wall units and extending parallel toa line perpendicular to the axes of said impression cylinder and saidcounterimpression cylinder, first and second threaded portions on saidspindle, one of said threaded portions being of a left-hand thread andthe other of said threaded portions being of a right-hand thread, arotatable nut mounted for rotation in each of two of said wall units andcooperating with said first and second threaded portions respectively,means for preventing axial movement of said nuts in their respective oneof said two wall units, means for rotating said nuts individually forindividual adjustment of said wall units, means for rotating saidspindle and means for holding said nuts stationary for simultaneousvariation of the relative position of said wall units on rotation ofsaid spindle.
 2. A printing unit for rotary printing presses comprisinga first wall unit, a second wall movable relative to said first wallunit, a third wall unit movable relative to said first and second wallunits, a printing cylinder, a counterimpression cylinder and an inkingroller each mounted for rotation in a respective one of said wall units;a spindle connecting said first and third wall units passing throughsaid second wall unit and extending parallel to a line perpendicular tothe axes of said printing cylinder and said counterimpression cylinder,means for preventing axial movement of said spindle relative to saidsecond wall unit, a first nut mounted for rotation in said first wallunit, means for preventing axial movement of said first nut relative tosaid first wall unit, a second nut mounted for rotation in said thirdwall unit, means for preventing axial movement of said second nutrelative to said third wall unit, first and second threaded portions onsaid spindle, one of said threaded portions being of a left-hand threadand the other of said threaded portions being of a right-hand thread,said first and second Threaded portions cooperating with said first andsecond nuts respectively, means for rotating said nuts individually forindividual adjustment of the spacing between said first and third wallunits and said wall unit, means for rotating said spindle and means forpreventing rotation of said first and second nuts for simultaneousvariation of the spacing of said first and third wall units and saidsecond wall unit on rotation of said spindle.
 3. A printing unit asdefined in claim 2, wherein said means for rotating said nuts and saidmeans for preventing rotation of said nuts comprises a worm wheelmounted on each nut and a worm with which it cooperates, said wormserving, when driven, to drive the nuts, but locking the nuts againstrotation when it is not driven.
 4. A printing unit as defined in claim3, wherein each wall unit comprises two wall members between which thecylinders or inking roller are mounted, the spindle being providedrunning through the wall members at one side of each unit and a secondspindle is provided passing through the other wall members of said wallunits and coupled to said first spindle, said second spindle cooperatingwith further worm-driven nuts in said first and third wall units andmeans being provided for driving connecting the worms associated witheach wall unit together for simultaneous drive thereof.